Safety apparatus



l chine.

Patented Sept. .13, 1927.

1-.fJ-1`11T13D STATES ofnannns o.

SMITH, or CLAREMONT, :mwv Hanrsnmn, seltenen To SULLIVAN Grimani coMrANY, A conronamow or auissacmrusaTTs.Y

l i 1,642,182 PATENT oFF-TCE.

' SAFETY APPARATUS.

Appncanon filed maenner 11,Y i920. semi ma. 430,102.

My invention relates to safety apparatus.

It has for its object to provide improved meansfor arresting a rearward movement of anobject, andmore especially va downward movement'on a pitch or incline. A further object of my invention is to provide improved mean-,s adapted to cooperate with a part of a gallery upon a rearward movement of an object, and through leverage actuated upon this out damageto the roof. These and other obn jects and advantagesof my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying ldrawings I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, the same being illustrated as applied to use in connection with a mining ma- In these drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the mining machine equipped with my improvement.

Fig.. 2 is a side elevation of the rear end of the machine, my improved safety means being shown in a plurality of positions.v

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the machine in side elevation'and operating on a pitch.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View on line 4-4 of `Fig. 2.

The mining machine shown is of the longwall type, having a frame l and a cutter bar 2. The latter herein carries a usual cutter chain 3and isv pivotally connected to one end of the frame and held as desired, either in opposite lateral positions or in a longitudinal position, by a removable pin 4 cooperating with registereing recesses 4 in the rame and bar. A suitable feed operating member 5 i-s also rotatably mounted on the other vend of the frame and adapted to. cooperate with a. flexiblevfeeding member of any sui-table form, herein inthe form of a feed chain 6 suitably guided by guiding sprockets 7. As

in a usual construction, both the cutter chai-n and the feedk operating member are valso driven from` thel motor 8of Vthe mining machine through usual connections, not shown. In the use 'of such a machine, .the bar is swung in under the face' in any Vsuitable manf-y ner, asy for instance by connecting the feed.V

chain to projections` 9 on the bar and then simultaneously operatin the cutter Jchain 3 and feed operating mem er 5. The chain 'is' then extended along the Vface and anchored yso that when the feed loperating'member 5V and the cutter chain 3 are again simultaneously operated,the machine will be fed along the feed chain and the'face and occupy the position illustrated in 1 during its transversev cutting operation.

In my improved construction, I have prof vided ata suitable po'inton the machine, automatic means adaptedvto engage a part of the mine gallery when the machine, for any reason, starts backward down a pitch, and,-

through its en agement with the gallery,`

adapted instant ly and positively to arrest the downward movement of" the machine on the'pitch. These means may obviously assume variousr forms.` In the illustrativev formshown, however, it will be noted that they include a sprag V10 suitably mounted on the mining machine, herein at the rear thereof',` and extending` upwardly therefrom. Herein, this sprag is mounted on a trans-V versempivot 11 and' the pivot 11 is in turn carri on an upright 12 rigidly connected to the frame of the machine and disposed between the machine shoe 13 and an overlying portion 14 of' the frame. As shown in Fig. 4v this upright is in the form of a sleeve held in position by a removable bolt 15 threaded at its lower end into the shoe 13l and extending upward through the central opening 4 for the pin 4, suitable removable flanged bushings 16 cooperating to locate the bolt properly in the opening 4.l This sprag 10 is, as shown, of such length as to enable its upper end, preferably pointed and rounded as shown at 17 to engage with the roof and follow the surface thereofV as the machine is moved forward. Herein, it is also operatively connected with the frame portion y14 by a suitable yielding connection herein in the form of a relativel light spring coillS operatively connected etween a collar substantially mid-way between the ends ofthe sprag and a point at the rear end and on the top of the frame, although obviously the point of connection of the spring and the sprag may be varied by adjusting the collar. As a result of this spring connection, it will be observed that the sprag is normally held in the rearwardly inclined position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Y

In the operation of my improved construction, when, through the cooperation of the feed operating member 5 and the flexible feed lmember 6, the machine is cutting up a pitch, the sprag l() will always tend to occupy the dotted line position mentioned, its upper end following` the roof surface and the spi-ag through the action of the spring 18, freely yielding to enable it to pass all obstructions and yet instantly swinging back into ready position. W hen, however, for any reason the machine starts back, i. e. down the pitch, the rearward movement of the same moves the sprag pivot bodily rearwardly in such a manner as to drive the upper end of thesprag into the roof and form a toggle which at the same time that it drives the sprag deeper into the roof presses the machine against the vbottom and thereby promptly and eectually prevents further slipping of the machine and the resultant damage to kthe men and equipment which would otherwise result.

As a result of my improved construction,

` it will be observed that it is possible to arrest the rearward movement of an object without damage to the bottom or track upon which the object moves and that it is further possible to permit the object to move for-v ward at any time without damage to the roof, the toggle action of the sprag during the rearward movement tending simply to press the object against the bottom, and the spring connection of the sprag enabling it, during forward movement, to clear obstructions such as timbering, or the like, without damage to the roof. It will also be evident that whenever it is desired to permit a free rearward movement of the object, the sprag may be readily rendered inoperative by simply disconnecting the spring and thesprag pivot. In certain instances where the bottom is relatively smooth, disconnection of only the spring will be suflicient, as the rounded end of the sprag will enable it to ride over the bottom in rear of the rearwardly moving` object.

While l have herein specifically described one embodiment of my invention, it will bc understood that this form `of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may assume different forms and may be adapted to different uses other than in Vconnection with a mining machine without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

l/Vhat I claim as new and desire to sec-ure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a self-propelled mining machine bodily slidable on its ownV bottom'o'n the mine bottom during cutting, and means for continuously feeding the inachine during cutting, of means movable at a uniform rate with thev machine including a sprag pivoted on said machine adapted to normally yieldably lengage with `the ini-ne roof during forward feeding movement and to positively engage the mine roof during reverse movement to arrest said'machine.

3. The combinationwith a self-propelled mining machine bodily slidable on Vits ,ownV

bottom on the mine bottom during cutting, and means for continuously feeding the machine during` cutting including a exible element, of means lcari'ied by said machine and movable at a uniform rate therewith adapt-- ed to normally yieldably engage the mine roof during forward feeding movement and to positively engage a mine roof during reverse movement due to failure of said flexible member to arrest said machine. y

4. The combination with a mining machine freely slidable in one direction on the mine bottom during'cutting comprising a' frame, a projecting cutter bar, and flexible means for continuously feeding the machine during cutting, of means carried by said frame and movable at a uniform rate with the machine adapted to slidably engage an extraneous abutment during feeding movement of said machine, said means being oper- Vative to prevent movement of said machine only upon reverse bodily movement of the latter due to the failure of said feeding means. Y

5. The combination with a iexibly fed.'

mining machine bodily slidable on its own bottom on the mine bottom during cutting including an elongated frame anda horizontally projecting cutter bar and means for continuously feedingthe machine during cutting, of means carried on said frame and movable at a uniform rate with the machine and having a. pivot disposed substantially in the plane of the cutter bar, said last mentioned means being adapted to engage an extraneous abutment and automatically operative upon failure of said feeding means to arrest a rearward movement of said frame.

6. The combination with a flexibly fed mining machine bodily slidable on its bottom on the mine bottom during cutting inimam e 'pivotally mounted on vsaid frame adjacent said bar Iand lextending upwardly and rearward-ly from its -pivo't iand having an abutment engaging point, and 'resilient means normal-ly holding the point of .said sprag in A elevated position above the machine frame in floating engagement with the mine roof so that the sprag will substantially Iinstantaneously positively engage l"the mine "roof,

` ink substantially vertical line upon reversebodily movement o'f said machine.

'7. The ycombination with a mining lvmachine freely slidable on its own bottom on an inc-lined mine :bottom during cutting yhaving l a projecting cutter bar and means for continuously feeding the machine vduring cutting, including a flexible feeding member, of means movable at a uniform rate with the machine for substantially instantaneously arresting bodily movement of said machine down said inclined bottom upon failure of said flexible feeding member.

8. The combination with a mining machine freely slidableron its owny bottom on an inclined mine bottom during cutting having a projecting cutter bar and means for bodily continuously feeding said machine along the inclined bottoni during cutting, including a flexible feeding member, of meansmovable at a uniform rate with the machine including an element pivoted on said machine adjacent the bottom thereof and automatically operative upon an initial reverse movement of the latter for substantially instantaneously arresting bodily movement of said machine down the inclined bottom upon failure of said flexible feeding member.

9. The combination with a mining machine freely slidable on its own bottom on an inclined mine bottom during cutting and having a projecting cutter bar and a bottom plate, and means for bodily continuously feeding said machine along the inclined bottom during cutting, including a flexible feeding member, of means movable at a uniform rate with the machine including an element carried on said machine adjacent said bottom plate and engageable with the mine gallery for substantially instantaneously arresting bodily movement of said machine down the inclined bottom upon breakage or release of said flexible feeding member.

10. The combination with a mining machine including an elongated frame and a proj ecting cutter bar pivoted on one end thereof, means for securing said bar in different angular positions including a pin and registering recesses in said frame and said bar, a sprag extending upwardly and rearwardly from said frame adjacent said barpivot adapted .to positively engage l'th'e'xnfine gallery Y to arrest rearward mo'vementiof'saidana# chine, l.means carried in an unusedapertiare and forming a pivot for said sprag, and resilientr means connected lbetween said sprag and said frame. l f

L The combination" with a self-propelled mining machine lravin'glbodily movement .in one direction duringt e cutting operation'- incl'uding means .for continuouslyrfeeding'the machine, of .means having 'an' abutment 'ene' gagmg point Vcarried 'by said machine for fasutomatically preventing excessive movement 1n an opposite direction, said means being operative only upon saidlatter movement at anypointLof-said machine movement during the cutting operation. j

12. The combination with a l"coal Vcutting machine having bodily movement in fone fcli--y rection during the cutting operation including means for continuously feeding the machine, of means carried by said machine adapted to engage an extraneous abutment operative upon movement of said machine in a reverse direction for automatically preventing excessive movement thereof in said reverse direction at any point of said mavE lnne movement during the cutting operaion.

13. The combination with a coal cutting machine having bodily movement in one direction within cert-ain limits during the cutting operation and means forV continuously feeding the machine, of means carried by said machine adapted to engage a fixed extraneous abutment for automatically substantially instantaneously preventing excessive movement of said machine in a reverse dlrection, said means being operative only upon movement of said machine in a are-verse direction at 'any point between its limits of adapted to be clamped to sai sprag in dify ferent positions, and a s ring connected to said collar andy adapted or connection to a machine frame.

16. A safety attachment for use with mining machines comprising a support interposed between projecting portions on a machine frame, a sprag pivoted on said support and provided with an abutment engag'in point, an adjustable collar slidably mounted` on said sprag and adapted to-be clamped thereon in diiferent positions, and a spring connected to said collar and adapted for con nection to a machine frame;

17. A safety attachment for use in a min ing machine comprising a support including an element adapted to engage an aperture in a machine iframe, a sprag pivoted on Said support and provided with an abutment engaging point, an adjustable collar adapted to be clamped to said sprag in different positions, an'tl a spring connected to Said collar and adapted for connection to a machine frame.

18. A safety attachment for use with min-- ing machines or" the longwall type comprising a. Support. adapted to be interposed hetween the bottom plate of a machine and a projecting portion ot a machine frame, ay

eprag pivotedatits lower end on Said support and provided with an abut-ment` engag ing point, and a spring connected to said sprag and adapted for connection to a machine frame.

19. A safety attachment adapted vto use' with mining machines of the longwall type comprising a support including an element passing through an aperture in a machine frame and -threadedly engaging a bottom plate of the machine, a sprag pivoteol at its lower end on said support and provided at its other end with an abutment engaging point, and a Spring connected at one end to said spr-ag by .tension regulating means and adapted for attachment to a machine frame.

ln testimony whereof I Yatlix my signature.

CHARLES C. SMITH.

Certificate of Correction.

Patent No. 1,642,182. Granted September 13, 1927, to

V CHARLES C. SMITH. It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the abovenumbered patent requiring `correction as follows: Page 1, line 49, for the misspelled Word registereing read registering; page 3, lines 22, 33, and 49, claims 7, 8, and 9, respectively, before the Word including strike out the comma; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these correo-tions therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 18th dzty of October, A. D. 1927.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Ummm/5885071.87' of Patents. 

